What is the trick to a soufflé?

Heat matters. Make sure the oven is preheated ; that initial hot blast expands the air trapped inside the bubbly foam of batter, which makes it rise. Having the soufflé base hot or warm when you fold in the egg whites helps the temperature rise quickly, too.

Why didn't my carrot soufflé rise?

'The reason a soufflé doesn't rise sometimes is because during this folding process, you have beaten out too many air bubbles . 'So we tell people to under-fold rather than over-fold. Even if there's still little streaks of egg whites, leave it,' he says.

When making a soufflé What is the yolk of an egg used for?

Into that base, a few key ingredients are added. Egg yolks get whisked in for even more richness, and coagulation —as the eggs cook, they set, just like when you fry or scramble them, allowing the soufflé to hold onto its loft for at least some time before deflating.

Should eggs be at room temperature for soufflé?

The eggs should be room temperature , which will help them separate more easily and will help the whites easily beat up into peaks. Make very sure the yolk stays intact. Cracking them over a cup one at a time is a good idea: If one yolk breaks, you don't ruin the whole bowl of whites.

Why is soufflé so hard to make?

If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven . Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.

Can you make soufflé without ramekins?

A ramekin with straight sides will help the soufflé rise but you can bake them in almost anything that can go in the oven . I sometimes like to bake them in a frying pan or baking dish and serve sharing style directly on the table.

How to tell if a soufflé is done?

How to check when the souffle is perfectly done: To know if the souffle is perfectly cooked inside, you stick a kitchen needle into the middle. It must come out totally clean. If, on the contrary, it comes out wet and covered with egg, prolong the cooking for 2-3 minutes.

What are the key factors in making a soufflé?

Chef-owner Andrew Davies explains that the most important factors in making successful souffles are oven temperature and correctly lining your mould or ramekin with butter and an even coating of sugar . “Your souffles need the heat to kickstart them and good lubricant to rise evenly,” he says.

What ingredient makes a soufflé rise?

When the egg mixture is baked in a 350-degree oven, those air bubbles trapped in the egg whites expand, making the souffle rise. The heat also causes the protein to stiffen a bit, and along with the fat from the yolk, it forms a kind of scaffold that keeps the souffle from collapsing.

How to make soufflé rise evenly?

Greasing the ramekin and coating it in sugar helps a soufflé rise evenly and gives it a golden edge. -Brush the ramekins with softened butter then dip into a bowl of caster sugar. -Shake the sugar around the ramekins so that it is evenly coated, then tip out any excess.

What helps a soufflé rise?

A soufflé is made up of a base (usually white sauce or creme patissiere enriched with egg yolks), a flavor (added to the base) and whipped egg whites gently folded in and baked in the oven. While it's cooking, the air trapped in the egg whites expands , causing it to rise.

Sam Beall's Carrot Soufflé Recipe (2024)

By Kim Severson

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating: 4(182)
Notes: Read community notes

This is more of a casserole than a traditional soufflé. It comes from Sam Beall, the proprietor of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, who died at age 39 in a ski accident. The dish makes its seasonal debut on the Beall family table at Thanksgiving, but paired with a salad, it becomes lunch or a light dinner any time of year. Use the sweetest carrot you can find, and grate the onions on the same grater you use for the cheese to save a little prep and clean-up time. Many of the steps are easy enough for children, making it a great dish for teaching cooking skills. It will become part of your winter rotation, and travels well.

Featured in: A Widow Takes the Helm at Blackberry Farm

Learn: How to Make Soufflé

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

1tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to butter the dish
2pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1cup whole milk
1cup crushed saltine crackers
¾cup, or about 3 ounces, grated sharp Cheddar
⅓cup minced or grated onion (about ½ medium onion)
⅛teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3large eggs

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

124 calories; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 342 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Step
1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish or baking dish.
Step
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2
Put the carrots in a large pot and cover with about an inch of water. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt and boil the carrots until they are tender enough to yield to the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.
Step
3
Strain the carrots and purée them in a food processor. Put them in a large bowl; stir in the milk, cracker crumbs, cheese, onion, butter, cayenne, black pepper and remaining salt.
Step
4
In another bowl, beat the eggs until they are quite foamy. Using a whisk and a gentle touch, mix the eggs into the carrot mixture.
Step
5
Scrape the mixture into the buttered dish and bake for about 45 minutes, until the soufflé is slightly puffed, light golden brown and pulling away from the sides of the dish. Serve warm.

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Cooking Notes

Faded elegance6 years ago

Better version is "carrot custard" from Lee Bailey's "Country Weekends." Boil 14 oz peeled and chunked carrots 20 mins til extremely tender. Purée in processor with 2. Tb unsalted butter. Add 2 eggs + 1/2 cup milk with pinch each of nutmeg, salt, pepper. Process til smooth. Bake in buttered 8" cake pan in a water bath at 375 for about 30 mins. Let rest in pan on wire rack for about 10 and unmold onto platter. Holds beautifully; can be made ahead; is also good cold.

Maggie6 years ago

In traditionsl Southern cooking, most casseroles made with eggs are called "souffles."

Francesca6 years ago

I would reduce the amount of salt. Loved the texture and easiness but next time will not add salt to water

Sam Beall's Carrot Soufflé Recipe (2024)

By Kim Severson

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Ingredients

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

Preparation

Ratings

Private Notes

Cooking Notes

FAQs

What is the trick to a soufflé? ›

What helps a soufflé rise? ›

References